Kingdom Hearts 2: My Version
by DevinePanda
Summary: Riku has gone back to the dark side but doesn't remember the first time. Maleficient has returned and is after Sora. The King goes missing. Is she desperate enough to drag the King AND Sora into the realm of darkness to finish them off for good? *ON HOLD*
1. Prologue and Maleficent

Kingdom Hearts Fan Fiction

Prologue

Sora, Donald, and Goofy defeated many heartless in their troubling journey to find their friends Riku and King Mickey. But once they found them, they were once again seperated by the door to the darkness. Even though Sora and the others were seperated from the ones it took them so long to find, Sora was not sad. He knew he would see Riku again...he just had to look for him. So the trio left again for another journey...

Chapter 1

"Maleficient"

Sora was walking down an alleyway in Hollow Bastion, looking for Leon, while Donald and Goofy tried different areas.

"Man, where is he? Leon? Leon?" Sora exclaimed in ignorance.

"Is someon calling me?" came a voice from Sora's right. Sora looked around and noticed Leon coming out of the shadows.

"Leon!" sora yelled, rushing toward his friend.

"Hey Sora! Nice to see ya! You've grown. Say, where's Donald and Goofy?"

"They're out lookin' for you. We split up so we could try to find you. Leon?" Sora asked because he just looked up into Leon's face which happened to go from glee to worried. "What's wrong, Leon?"

"We have to find them, Sora! As soon and as quickly as possible!" He said before sprinting off in the opposite direction, Sora hurrying to keep up.

"Why? What's going on?"

"Heartless have been showing up a lot recently and Yuffie told us she overheard Maleficient saying she's after you, Donald, and Goofy!"

"Woah, woah, woah, stop right there!" Sora said, going to a halt.

"What!?"

"We defeated Maleficient. We told everyone that! Maleficient was defeated right before we found Kairi, remember?"

"I know, but...but Yuffie told Cid, Aerith, and I what she heard!"

"Sora!" came two voices behind him. Sora turned around and saw Donald and Goofy rushing towards him.

"Donald! Goofy! About time you causght up!" Sora said, laughing.

"Hey Leon! Why the long face?" asked Goofy. He and Donald looked at him questioningly.

"Uhh...it's nothing! Let's go find Yuffie and the others!" he said, attempting a weak smile.

They went in the opposite direction; Sora, Donald and Goofy lagging behind.

"Hey, Sora, what's wrong with Leon?" Goofy whispered when they were out of earshot of Leon.

"Well, he told me something Yuffie had told him and the others..." and he retold to them what Leon had said.

"What? Maleficient!?" Donald shrieked when Sora had finished.

"Shhh!"

"How could yuffie have heard that when Maleficient's gone? It's crazy!" Goofy said.

"I don't know...maybe we should ask her about it." Sora suggested.

"yeah! When we get there, we'll ask her." goofy agreed.

So they followed Leon to Merlin's where everyone else was.

OoooO

When they got to Merlin's, everyone was there: Cid, Aerith, Merling, and yuffie.

"Sora! You're back!" Yufffie exclaimed.

"How've ya been, kid?" Cid asked.

"So...I see you've found Leon. He has a habit of walking out withough telling anyone where he's going or when he'll be back." Aerith explained.

"Really? Well, he likes the shadows, I'll tell you that! He came out of the shadows when I was lookin' for him." Sora said, laughing with everyone else but Leon.

"Go, Sora! Ask her! Now's the best time!" Goofy urged him, giving him a slight push. Sora walked over to Yuffie and asked her for a word outside.

"Yuffie, Leon told me something urgent when I found him, and I want to ktnow if it's true." She looked at him questioningly. "He told me you overheard Maleficient talking one day...is that true?"

"He told you that? He wasn't supposed to let you know unless it was an urgent situation. Was it?"

"Kinda. Me, Donald, and Goofy had split up to find him so he was worried for thir safety. So, you did hear Maleficient say that?"

"Yup Why? Don't you believe me?"

"Well, we defeated her. There was no way she could be alive!" Sora explained.

"Well, I did hear her say that. I don't know what to tell you, but I heard her say it. You guys just be careful, you got it?" Sora nodded and she went back inside. Sora sat down on the ground, thinking about what Yuffie had said.

Sora was sitting there for about five minutes when it happened; heartless just appeared all around him. He stood up and took out the Keyblade and attacked them. Right after he defeated them, more appeared. The kept happeneing and Sora was really exhausted. He would go inside but they would follow and endanger everyone else. He eventually collapsed and the heartless number grew.

"Darn! Why...are there...so many...?" He wheezed. Then out of nowhere, Maleficient appeared. Sora stared at her in shock. _How could she still be alive_?

"Ah! The Keyblade holder!" she said.

"Maleficient!? How are you still alive?"

She ignored him adn said, "Now is the time for my revenge!' And she approached him.


	2. Odd Behavior and Welcome Back

Chapter 2

"Odd Behavior"

Everything happened in quick succession; just as Maleficient approached Sora, some sort of magic shot from behind him at Maleficient and she fled. Sora heaved a sigh of relief, he thought he was a goner!

"Sora, are you okay?" He heard Donald ask.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Exhausted, but fine." He attempted to stand, but fell.

"You don't look fine to me," Leon said. "Here, let me help you." And Sora felt himself being lifted to his feet.

"What happened, Sora? We were inside when we realized you didn't come in after Yuffie. We looked outside and saw Maleficient and Donald acted." Goofy explained.

Sora told everyone about the heartless and then how Maleficient appeared. He sat on a chair breathing heavily, the battle had worn him out pretty badly.

"So she really is back?" Goofy asked. "How? We beat her in the castle!"

"I don't know," Sora sighed, "but we have to be...careful from now...on."

"Are you sure you're okay, Sora? I've never seen you this wore out before." Donald said.

"I know. When you were here before, I never saw you look as though you were about to collapse!" Aerith said.

"Maybe you should rest," Yuffie suggested.

"Maybe you're right. I don't know why, but I'm completely out of it. I guess I just haven't fought in awhile and too much at one interval is just requesting suicide!" Sora laughed with everyone, and without warning, collapsed onto the floor.

OoooO

Sora was walking down the streets of Traverse Town, wondering where everyone was.

"Donald! Goofy! Leon! Where are you guys?" he continued walking around, looking for them when he realized he was in front of Cid's accessory shop. "Maybe somone's here?" He opened the door and walked inside.

"Welcome! How may I help you?" came a voice but it was none that he recognized. It belonged to te man behind the counter so Sora left the shop.

"Goofy? Donald? Guys?" Still, no response. Then heard another voice in the second district.

"Sora?" he recognized this voice, but it couldn't be true. How could she be here? He turned and his jaw dropped. Kairi was standing in front of him.

"Kairi?' Is it really you?"

"Sora, you have to wake up! Everyon needs your help! You've been out too long! Please wake up, Sora!" She was pleading to him, tears in her eyes. She ran up to him and was begging him.

"What are you talking about?"

"Please! They need you! Why won't you wake up? Please Sora!"

"I don't understand!" He grabbed her shoulders. "Help me to understand!" Just then everything went dark and Kairi disappeared but he could still hear her sobs. He opened his eyes and realized he had been dreaming. Kairi's sobs were piercing his ears. He sat up and looked to his right and recieved a shock. Kairi was sitting next to him, sobbing.

"Kairi, what are you doing here? And where is everyone? Why are you crying?" Kairi looked up and smiled.

"Sora! You're awake!" and she gave him a hug. "Oh! You have to hurry! Everyone needs your help!"

"Why? What's going on?"

"Many Heartless showed up and soon after some Maleficent came and-"

"Maleficent? You can't be serious?! They're fighting her?"

"Not her yet, as far as I know. Leon told me to make sure you were okay and to see if you can come help. Oh, Sora, Riku's with her!"

"Riku? OUR Riku?" She nodded. "With Maleficent? But...why?"

"I don't know but you have hurry! There were many heartless and they wern't doing well when I left! That was a while ago!"

Sora jumped off the bed and started running when he realized he had no clue where they were and stopped.

"Hey, Kairi, where is everyone?" He called.

"At the bailey!"

So Sora ran towrds the bailey. As he got closer, he could hear the sounds of battle. When he got within sight of the battle, he was shocked. Everyone except Donald and Goofy were on the ground. The Heartless were gone, but they were getting ready to fight no Maleficent...but Riku! Riku charged forward...

"NO! STOP!" Sora ran towards them the came to a stop about 5 feet from them. "Riku, what are you doing?!" Riku stopped when he heard Sora's voice and looked at him. "Why, Riku? Riku didn't say anything, he just stood there staring at Sora. "Riku?" Sora said and the took a step forward.


	3. Betrayal and the Escape

Chapter 3

"Betrayal"

It happened very quickly; as he stepped forward a wall-type thing emerged out of the ground and it locked Sora's wrists and ankles to it.

"What's going on?" Sora yelled. He tried fighting against the chains but all they did was tighten. Sora groaned in pain.

"Sora!" Goofy yelled and ran towards him, but he was repelled backward.

"Goofy!" He struggled again, but they tightened more and he was starting to lose the feeling in his hands and feet. "Leon! Everyone! Get out of here! Look after her! Please!"

Leon and the others got up and left...except Donald and Goofy. They wouldn't leave Sora alone there and Sora knew it. He hadn't expected them to run and if they would have, he would have been very surprised. Sora looked ahead of him and saw Maleficent approaching.

"So, Keyblade bearer, this is where the beginning of my revenge will be the beginning of your downfall."

Sora had no clue how it hppened, but he suddenly felt as though hundreds of volds ot electiricity was running through his body. He could neither hear nor feel what was going on around him. Just as quickly as it happened, it stopped. He looked down ar Riku and realized that Riku didn't want to be a part of this. he hated seeing Sora suffer, he could tell. Why he wasn't helping him, Sora couldn't figure out. Once again, the felling occurred to him of electricty running through him. It wasn't as long this time, though. When it stopped he looked at Riku and realized that he had told Maleficent to stop...and then all was blackness.

OoooO

"Sora!" was all he could hear in his head. Over and over again, two voices screamed hi name. He thought he recognized the voices but wasn't sure. After a while, he started becoming aware of his surroundings. He slowly opened his eyes and saw that all was darkness. All except for a little window near the ceiling. Hes head was pounding and he couldn't focus well. All he knew was that was that his wrists were bound to the wall behind him by chains.

"Sora! You're awake!" he heard a voice to his right. He looked over, squinting due to the pain in his head.

"Goofy? Is that...you?" Sora asked in broken breaths.

"Yup, sure is! Boy, we're glad you're awake! We thought you were a goner!" Goofy explained.

"'We'?" Sora asked. "Donald's here, too?"

"Uh huh! Why wouldn't I be?" Donald asked.

"What happened?" Sora asked, looking aroudn the room. "And where are we?"

"Well, we're not completely sure...you suddenly were bound to a wall and the next thing we knew you were shaking wildly. Then you blacked out." Goofy explained.

"As to where we are, we're not sure," Donald said, "but we think it's kind of like a dungeon."

Sora looked down again and thought what they just said. Then thought about Riku. _Why didn't he do anything to help? And why has he sided with Maleficent?_ Sora just didn't get it!

Just then the door opened. Sora looked to see who it was but the light around the figure ws too bright to make out who it was and it made Sora's head throb so he looked back down. The door shut and the figure proceded.

"Sora?" came the voice from the figure. he knew who it was from the voice and Sora grew angry.

"What do you want?" Sora asked angrily. Riku approache him and knelt down in front of him.

"Sora, I am so sorry!" Sora looked into the face of who he thought was his best friend. "But you don't understand what I'm doing! She promised me a way to find Kairi and-"

"Woah, woah, woah! Kairi? Kairi's fine!" Sora interjected.

"Wait, what?" Riku was bewildered. "You've seen Kairi?"

"Not only that, but I know where she is! Did you forget? We helped her in Hallow Bastion and then I became a Heartless! She was sent back to the island and is somehow here! I didn't get to ask her how because I had to help my friends who were being attacked by Heartless, Maleficent, and you!" Sora was getting really angry and starting to feel weak. After just waking up from being electricuted, if that's what it was, and then screaming bloody murder evidentally wasn't a bright idea! "Why are you thinking she'll help you, anyway? Don't you remember last time?"

"'Last time'?" Riku asked. "What, 'last time'?"

"Huh?" Sora said. _What's going on? He doesn't remember anything the last time he sided with Malefcient? This is really strange._ "Nothing comes to you about Ansem and siding with Maleficent or anything?" Sora asked, kinda dreading the answer he was sure to get.

"No, I'ave never sided with Maleficent before." Sora groaned at the answer. "Have I?" He looked at Sora uncertaintly.

Sora sighed. "Look, Maleficent was using you to go against me last time. She told you things that weren't true! She might do it again!" Sora was breathing very heavily and he felt as though he could pass out. "I...I don't want that that to happen." Sora finished. He felt as though he was going to cry but he didn't . He didn't wan to look lame in front of Riku.

"Sora. I'm sorry." Sora didn't look up. "I'll come back later, okay? Maleficent will think I'm up to something if I'm here too long." And he left. Sora was so angry that he suddenly roared like a savage beast.

"Sora?" A voice brought him back to reality. "Are you okay?" Goofy asked.

Sora didn't answer right away. he tought that was a stupid question to ask after what just happened, but he didn't wan to hurt Goofy's feelings. "I don't know." He said at last. "I don't know anything any;mroe, except that we have to get our of here. Who knows what Maleficent's doing out there?"

"Then why are you just sitting there, not thinking?" Came a voice from above them.


	4. His Majesty: Found then Lost

Chapter 4

"His Majesty"

"Who's there?" asked Sora. A dark figure came from the ceiling and landed in front of him. He removed his hood and looked at the trio.

"Your Majesty?" Donald said.

"Shhh! I'm in disguise! Are you okay, Sora?" The King had looked at Sora, who felt like he would just pass out at any second.

"I'm not...feeling...so good...at the moment." Sora wheezed. The King quickly unlocked them and when he freed Sora, Sora fell face forward on the ground hwere he couldn't move a muscle. The King ran to help him up and said, "Gosh, Riku wore you out this much?"

"It wasn't...just Riku. Whatever Maleficent...did to me, too."

"What did she do to you?" Since Sora was too exhausted, Goofy retold the tale. "Oh, no!" Mickey said when Goofy was done.

"What, your majesty? You know what she did to Sora?" Goofy asked.

"Yes, I do! It isn't good, either. She-" King Mickey started, but stopped when Sora's head whent down. "Sora?" And then Sora blacked out.

Sora could hear muttering around him. He didn't know who they were, but he could tell there wer emany of them. He could feel pain in every inch of his body. He slowly oopened his eyes and looked around. he was at Merlin's. Everyone was there, talking about who-knows-what. No one noticed he was awake. He tried to sit up but his limbs wouldn't move so he just laid there. He wanted to say something to them, but words wouldn't come. His voice seemed unable to spark to life. Then Leon came into view.

"About time you joinced us," he said sarcastically. "Hey, guys, Sora's awake! He informed everyone. Suddenly, a herd of people appeared above him, all smiling. Kairi was in the lead, looking down at him thankfully. Finally, Sora found his voice.

"Hey, Kairi," he said weakly.

"Sora! We all thought you were just gonna lay there forever." Kairi said, tears streaming down her face.

"How long has it been?"

"Three days," came a voice in the back. King Mickey came into view with a bottle in his hand. "About time you got up, Sora. I was hoping against that you were gonna be out longer and the paralasis would set in before I gave you the potion." Mickey said. All Sora heard was up to the word 'paralasis' and then his brain shut down. _What did he mean, paralasis?_

"'Paralasis'? What do you mean, sir?" Sora asked.

"Oh, that's right! I never got to finish before you went unconcious. Remember when I told you Maleficent did something bad to you?" Sora nodded. "Well, what she did was a paralasis spell. It makes it so that after you exert some energy, like you did when you were yelling, the body becomes very weak and soon the person cannot move or anything. It's like you become a lifeless form. There is only one cure and that is to catch it before it fully spreads. Luckily, yours has not just yet. Now, what I have here is an antidote for it. It takes a while to fully get rid of it, especially in a case like yours but it will be gone.

"Now, there are some downsides. You will be incapable of moving while it is in process, you will feel more pain then you do now, and you will get flashes of what has happened from when the spell first hit your body to now." Sora groaned at the thought. "I know." Then he addressed the room as a whole. "So we will have to make sure people are here to protect Sora in case of an attack. You never know if Maleficent will-" But suddenly there was a loud band and the front door opened. It was Riku, all battered up and looked exhausted. He was drenched from the rain outside.

"Riku?" came Kairi's voice. She sounded shocked and panicky. She ran to his side and helped him up.

"Where's Sora? I've got...to warn...Sora of..." but he couldn't finish.

Everyone moved in front of Sora, sheilding him from view. Everyone but Kairi knew what he did to Sora. They didn't want Tiku to see Sora, in case he did something.

"It's okay, guys," Sora said. They looked at him nervously, then moved aside. Sora looked at Riku, and he at him. Riku's face was appologetic, and Sora could tell what Riku wanted to say. Sora nodded to show he understood and accepted. Riku then smiled and stood up.

"Thanks, Sora," he said and advanced. But then Sora fell rigid. Immediately, King Mickey came over with the antidote and poured it down Sora's throat. Sora swallowed it and felt as if every bone in his body wer ebroken. The pain was intense and he couldn't move at all. Then he closed his eyes and let the visions take him over.

OoooO

He saw Goofy and Donald looking at him fearfully, Riku explaining what he was doing with Maleficent, King Mickey appearing out of the shadows, Leon's face peering down at him, and then everything started back over. He suddenly felt pain in his head he'd never felt before and heard a fight in the background. Sora slowly opened his eyes.

For some odd reason, Sora was lying face-down on the floor. That must have been how he got the pain in his head. He tried moving several times until, finally, he used his weak arms to push himself up.

"What's going on?" he asked to nobody in particular for everybody seemed to be outside. He slowly and painfully got to his feet and walked over to the window. To his shock, everyone was fighting Heartless and, thankfully, they were winning. Kairi seemed to be putting up a good fight. he then moved his head to look at his other friends then did a double-take; Kairi was using a Keyblade; like himself, Riku, and the King could.

Now he was really confused. Kairi, using a Keyblade? Sora didn't understand it. Just then, the Heartless they were fighting vanished and the area was clear. Immediately, they ran inside.

"He better be okay. They wouldn't have just disappeared without a reason." Leon was saying. Then he saw Sora standing by the window. "Sora? Are you actually up, walking around?"

Everyone stopped talking at Leon's voice and then looked where he was looking.

"Hi, guys," Sora said. Everyone suddenly ran toward Sora, arms open, mouths spread into smiles. Sora laughed and smiled with everyone else. He finally was his normal self. Then Sora thought of something. "Hold on a minute," he said, then looked at Riku. "What did you need to warn me about?"

Riku gave hima confused look which sooned changed to a look of dawning comprehension. "Oh! Yeah, bfore, you didn't know about the paralasis, so I came to warn you of that but apparently the King had already done that. So, it's all good, now."

"But what about those Heartless you guys fought? And them suddenly vanishing?" Sora asked.

"Well, the disappearing suddenly, we don't know about that one, but we figured they were here to check on you ro soemthing. To see if you were recovering or not because Maleficent would have wanted to know." Leon explained.

"Okay, and what about Kairi using a Keyblade?" he asked, looking at her.

"Umm...I'm not totally sure myself, but according to the King since I have a special connection with you and Riku I was able to or something like that." She told him.

"Okay, an done more question, where are the King, Donald, and Goofy?" Sora said, now noticing they weren't there.

"Now, that one is easy to answer," Leon said with a smile. "The King had said that we would need some people to check some certain areas for places that anyone could get into the town or something so they're out patroling."

"Oh," Sora said, though it didn't makes much sense to him. "Well, I'm all better now, so we don't have anymore neeed for that, do we?"

Before anyone could answer him, the door burst open and Goofy stumbled inside yelling, "Help! We have problems, Leon!"

"Goofy?! What's wrong?!" Leon demanded.

"Leon!" Goofy said, standing. "The King has gone missing!"

"What?! You can't be serious!" Sora said.

"Sora?" Goofy said, looking at him. He then ran to him and gave him a huge hug. "Sora! You're okay!"

"Yes, Goofy, but do you have any idea where he might be?" Sora demanded. "And where's Donald?"

"Donald is out looking in every corner and alley for him. I don't know where he could be!" He suddenly burst into tears.

"Goofy, it's all right. We'll find him," Leon assured him, then he turned to Aerith and Yuffie. "We have to split up! Move out!" And they ran out the door.


	5. The Search and Fight

Chapter 5

"The Search"

Goofy, Sora, Riku, and Kairi sat in silence for a long time. Finally, Riku said, "Where are they? They should have been back by now! Where could he be?"

"It's all my fault," Goofy shiffed.

"No, it's not," Sora said. "Don't go blaming yourself! You wouldn't have known that something would happen today!"

"But I did! Goofy exclaimed. They all stared at him. "The King had told me to be careful, like always; but he added an extra comment. 'Now, I have a feeling something's gonna happen and if it's not to you, do whatever you can to prevent it.' Donald and I knew we hat to report to our stations, but we didn't want nothin' to happen to the King. We watched him and waited, leaving our entrances clearly open, but nothin' happened so we headed back to our stations. But on the way, we were attacked from behind. When we came to, we went immediately to check on the King. When we got there, he was no where to be found so we decided that I should ocme back here and let you guys know while Donald went and looked for him." Goofy gave a huge sniff and looked down.

"You have no idea who attacked you?" Sora asked. goofy shook his head. "Then maybe the King's alright!" Goofy looked up. "Look, just listen. Maybe he heard you guys get attacked and went to investigate. Maybe when he saw you, he saw who attacked you and chased them!" Sora said.

Just then the door opened and Leon walked in with Donald, Aeirth, and Yuffie; all looking crest-fallen.

"Well?" Sora asked.

Leon shook his head. "We've looked everywhere, but we just can't find him. Maybe he's somewhere we can't get to." Lone suggested.

"But where?" Sora said. "Where's a place that he can be that-"

"The realm of darkness..." Riku muttered quietly. Everyone turned to look at him.

"What did you say, Riku?" Kairi asked.

"The realm of darkness." He repeatd. "It's what Maleficent and I used when I was working for her. I bet you anything that's where the King is." Riku explained.

"But how could he get in there?" Sora asked. "He doesn't possess the power of darkness!"

"Maybe the person who attacked Donald and Goofy came from the realm of darkness and when they fled, the King followed them into the realm of darkness," Riku suggestd.

"It's possible," Leon said. "But we won't know for sure until we find him!"

"I'll open a portal!" Riku said and stuck out his hand. Nothing happened. "Huh?"

"You're no longer with Maleficent, Riku," Donald said. "You can't be in touch with the darkness."

"No, but I can!" came a voice. Everyone looked around but no one was there. Then a black portal opened up and pulled Sora inside!

"NO!!!" Riku yelled and jumped after him before the portal closped completely. He looked around for Sora and spotten him laying on the ground ahead of him. He ran to him and said, "Sora? Sora, are you okay?" He groaned in response, then lifted his head up.

"Riku?" He looked around. All was blackness. "Where are we?"

"The realm of darkness, I think." He said back.

Sora got to his feet and looked around. He could barely see the outline of Riku in the darkness. Then he heard a small scuttling sound and grew nervous. "Did you hear that?"

"Yeah. What do you think it was?" Riku asked him.

"No idea," he responded, then saw two yellow lights approaching them. "Huh?"

"What?" Riku asked, alarmed.

"Look!"

Riku turned around and saw the lights. Then he took out his keyblade and attacked it. "Just as I thought. This cannot be good."

"They aren't what I think they are, are they?" Sora said just as more little lights formed.

"Yeah! I guess it's time for some fighting, Sora! Think you can handle it?" Riku sneered.

"No sweat!" he said, taking out his Keyblade.

They charged after the Heartless. Sora had his own side while Riku had the other. There seemed to be no end to the things.

"Darn! They just keep getting replaced!" Riku hollared to Sora.

"I know!" he yelled back. "Why won't they disappear?"

"Well, this _is_ their home. This _is_ where they come from anyway," Riku told him.

"Oh, great!" Sora groaned. Eventually, the number grew and it was soon too much for the boys to handle. They ended up back to back.

"Okay. Now what?" Sora gasped.

"I don't know," Riku replied. "There's too many and we're completely warn out."

"Nah, really?" Sora said. He then went down on one knee, breathing deeply.

"Sora!" Riku said and he turned around. he knelt next to his friend. "Are you okay?"

Before he could answer they heard a strange noise. "What's that?" Sora said, alarmed.

"Sora? We need to get out of here. Now!" Riku yelled.

"What?"

Before they could move, they were swarmed and covered in a big wave of Heartless.


	6. The Reappearance

Chapter 6

"The Reappearance"

"I hope they're okay," Donald said, sitting down on a chair.

"Yeah. I don't know what I'd do if we lost Sora," Goofy said.

"Guys, don't talk like that!" Kairi told them. "We're all worried, but it's Sora and Riku we're talking about! They're fine, trust me."

They nodded and lasped into silence. A little time passed when Kairi suddenly felt someting. In her heart. She thought she knew what it meant but wouldn't believe it.

"No. No, it can't be," she muttered. Everyone looked at her.

"Kairi, what's wrong?" Goofy asked. She didn't say anything. "Kairi?"

"I think...I think something's wrong," she answered

"What do you mean?" Donald asked fearfully.

"No. I _know_ something's wrong. My heart's telling me so. I don't know what but they're in trouble." She jumped to her feet and started for the door.

"Kairi, where are you going?" Leon asked.

"I need to help them!" she yelled. She opened the door and started to bolt out when she was flown back. "Oww!"

"Ugh, who was that?" said a familiar voice. Kairi looked up and gasped.

"Your majesty?" she said in disbelief.

"Huh?" Goofy said.

The king entered the house and helped Kairi to her feet. "Sorry about that, Kairi."

"Your majesty!" Donald and Goofy yelled, running to him and pulling him into an embrace.

"Guys, put me down!" They followed his instruction. Mickey looked around the house. "Hey, where's Riku and Sora?"

Everyone looked at the ground. Kairi was the first to talk.

"They were absorbed by a black hole. Sora got better and then you went missing. We just had an idea of where to look when thi voice came out of nowhere and a black hole appeared. Sora was pulled into the hole and Riku went after him. The hole closed right after Riku disappeared. Now I have a feeling something bad happened." The king listened intently. When she was done, he sighed.

"I was hoping this wouldn't happen. Sora and Riku are in the realm where the Heartless roam. The realm of darkness. And it's not good that Sora's there because he just recovered from a paralysis spell. Doing too much activity after recovering can be too dangerous for his body. he'll get tired too easiy and eventually collapse and lose consciousness," the king explained.

"So, how do we help them?" Goofy asked.

"I think I know a way to get in, but only I can go. It'll only take one person and you have to do it a certain way. I'll bring them back safely. But one thing: I am going physically, don't get me wrong, but around here, it'll just seem that it's my mind that went. My body will be left here, in a sense. I'll be unconscious,m per se. But I will be able to bring them back. Understand? So you guys are going to take care of things around here, okay?" They nodded. "Okay, well, here we go." He closed his eyes and a few minutes later, his body collapsed to the floor. Leon caught him and said, "It's up to him now."

OoooO

The king appeared in the middle of a dark are with a strange noise coming from all sides.

"What's that noise?" he said, aloud. he started walking forward when he heard the sound increase about two feet in front of him. he looked at it and could tell something was moving.

"Heartless!" he yelled. He did a huge spell and the Heartless disappeared, leaving two forms lying on the ground. The king rushed toward them and realized they were Sora and Riku.

"Sora! Riku! Wake up!" He leaned down next to Riku and flipped him over. "Riku. Come on, wake up," the king said. Riku slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the king.

"Your majesty?" he asked.

"Thank goodness you're awake, Riku!" he exclaimed. "Are you okay?" he asked, as he helped Riku sit up.

"I think so," he replied. Then he sat up quickly. "Sora!" He turned aroudn and saw him lying on the ground close to himself. he rushed toward his friend.

"I can't get him to wake up, but it's best that he gets s much rest as he can right now. He just recovered from a paralysis spell after all," the king explained.

Riku nodded then asked, "So, how are we getting out of here?" He looked at the king. He picked up Sora and put his arm around him. They both stood.

"I have a way to do it. You're going to hold on to me for it to work. For a minute, I'm going to disappear but then you will be 'pushed' through another hole and appear in Merlin's house. Understood?" Riku nodded. "Okay, here we go." He closed his eyes and then disappeared. Next thing Riku knew, he felt a 'push' and felt like he was falling.

OoooO

Goofy, Donald, Kairi, and the others sat patiently by the unconscious king.

"_He'll bring Sora and Riku back. He has to!_" Kairi thought to herself.

Suddenly, the king's eyes fluttered open. He looked at them al then sat up and looked past them, waiting.

"Your majesty! Did you do it?" Leon asked. The king didn't say anything. Just continued to stare past them. They followed his gaze. There was nothing there.

Goofy was about to avert his gaze back to the king when something miraculous happened. A black portal appeared and Riku, carrying Sora, came out of it. The black hole disappeared and Riku looked toward the group.

"Hey guys," he said.

"Riku!" Kairi screamed and ran toward him. She gave a huge hug and then let go. She looked at the unconscious form of Sora next to him. "Oh my gosh, is he okay?"

"Yeah. He's just exhausted from the paralysis spell and the battle," Riku replied.

"Battle?" she asked.

"Yeah. We were attacked by many Heartless. If the king didn't show up up, I don't know what would have happened. They were piled on top of us," Riku said. The king jumped off the bed and motioned for Riku to lay Sora on it. Riku walked over and laid his friend on the bed.

"Let's let him rest, guys. One person needs to be here at all times, though. In case something or someone comes for him," King Mickey instructed. Riku elected to be on first watch. He was really tired, too, and needed some rest. The others left the room and Riku pulled a chair next to the bed. Not one noticing someone looking at them from the roof of a building nearby.


End file.
